The Common Market in the News

CCSD21 partnership with The Common Market invests more than $29,000 in local farms

Community Consolidated School District 21

Community Consolidated School District 21’s commitment to serving fresh, nutritious meals while supporting regional agriculture continues to make a meaningful impact.

New data from The Common Market Great Lakes shows that District 21 invested $29,344 in the local food economy during the 2025 calendar year through its ongoing partnership with the nonprofit regional food distributor. Those purchases directly supported 22 local farms across Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan.

A Peach and Apple Farmer’s Uphill Quest to Feed Poor Families, and His Own

The New York Times

On a chilly morning in April, Austin Flamm strode through grassy lanes fringed with delicate peach and apple blossoms. Mr. Flamm, 29, and his cousin Parker, 28, are the sixth generation of their family to produce fruit and vegetables on an Illinois farm that in 2024 gave them the best profits they have had since they joined the operation.

The gains were largely because Flamm Orchards had joined a program, IL-EATS, funded by the Biden-era Agriculture Department, that bought and distributed local produce to the poor. Mr. Flamm’s skepticism of government programs made him wary of IL-EATS at first. But he changed his mind when he saw the prices he was offered for his cauliflower, broccoli and other vegetables.

“It was a win for us on the farm,” Mr. Flamm said. “And the food banks that are constantly looking for donations had something to offer.”

Proviso Students Taste Test Local Burger and Shape Healthier, More Sustainable School Menu

Seven Generations Ahead

Students at Proviso Township High Schools District 209 got a taste of local food, from farm to tray! They participated in a taste test to try a regional black bean and beef blend patty. The taste test was conducted across three schools: Proviso Math and Science Academy (PMSA), Proviso West, and Proviso East. The goal? To give students a voice in school lunch options, gather student feedback on a new, healthier burger option, and observe how the kitchen staff handled its preparation and serving.

CCSD21 Offers Fresh, Locally Sourced Ingredients

Community Consolidated School District 21

“We were looking to offer our students options that are not currently available through the Department of Defense [and its Food Distribution Program] but would be available through The Common Market,” said Allison Brown, senior district manager for OrganicLife. The district made these purchases in partnership with The Common Market with funding support from the USDA’s Local Food for Schools (LFS) Cooperative Agreement Program.

The Common Market Great Lakes Receives Lake Michigan School Food System Innovation Hub Grant

USDA

The Illinois Public Health Institute and the Lake Michigan School Food System Innovation Hub have announced their first round of 16 recipients for the Spark and Innovation Collaborative Awards.

The Illinois Public Health Institute and the Lake Michigan School Food System Innovation Hub will work with the Spark and Innovation Collaborative Awards recipients throughout the grant period to support school food system and marketplace improvements and promote systems-level change. The Common Market Great Lakes's Spark Award grant project is titled: “Lowering Adoption Barrier to Regionally Sourced Foods in Chicagoland Schools: Exploring Manufacturing, Food Service Operations and Acceptability of Regional Black Bean and Beef Blended Products in School Cafeterias”.

Listen: Building Strong Regional Food Systems

Feeding People Podcast

Eliana Pinilla, Director of Partnerships, Great Lakes Region at The Common Market, discusses with Amy Dolan the need to "connect communities to good food grown by sustainable family farmers." She explains that when institutions get more of their food directly from local farms, the quality of food they serve—and the health and wealth of the entire region—get better. Eliana breaks down how The Common Market helps make it all happen and the vision she has for future generations.

Boosting Healthy Food Solutions Where They're Needed Most

In Ballard Spahr’s most recent pro bono representation of The Common Market, lawyers from the firm’s Business and Transactions Department advised on a strategic merger that extends the nonprofit’s network of healthy food hubs to the Greater Chicago area.